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Having problems, is this a PSU issue?

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  • Power Supplies
  • Build
  • Homebuilt
  • Systems
Last response: in Systems
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June 20, 2014 9:55:15 AM

Hi all! I've been having some trouble with my PC recently. The link to the build is here:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/7XKbCJ

I've been using it for almost a year and a half, and I noticed from the getgo that when doing certain things like playing Civ V at the highest graphics settings, it would start having graphics issues. But that was fine, I chose an APU for the value, not for the extreme gaming potential. It did fine with the New Tomb Raider (at the time) at highest graphics settings, etc. etc. Overall, I was happy with it.

Fast forward 6 months. since then, I've been having issues where I'll be watching a movie on one screen, and doing work on the other, or playing a game (less common) and the computer will make a weird buzzing noise and freeze - sometimes it will automatically restart, often it does not and just hangs like that, noise and all. Once even, the reset button didn't work so I had to hit the master switch to off. That's not a good problem to have.

One thing to note: I've NEVER had a BSOD. So I can't even look to see if there's a serial number or anything that I can google for a problem, so I'm about 95% it's not a driver/OS issue. I've looked up the buzzing issue, and someone online said "PSU problem".

Now, if you look at my power load on PCpartpicker, you'll notice that it's at 209W with everything. I have nothing, other than a wireless keyboard and mouse setup under a single Unity USB dongle, plugged into the computer, and there's no optical drive. I figured with 400W PPC Modular, that I would be fine.... is that not correct? Somewhere else someone said that a good rule of thumb for max efficiency and stability was to get double the required need, which would put me at low, but that would mean I wouldn't be running at 50% of power usage all the time, more like, 50-60% range.

Am I missing something here? Is my setup unstable?

OS: Windows 8, running some ObjectDock apps, but nothing crazy

More about : problems psu issue

June 20, 2014 10:09:09 AM

Have you checked your cpu temperatures. It sounds like that could be a problem. That buzzing noice could be cpu cooler failing. You have a water cooler though, so would it be the pump? There is lots of programs witch can show you your cpu temperatures.
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June 20, 2014 10:13:58 AM

Well, I haven't had the foresight to check temperature right when it hangs because I can never predict... but, as far as I know, the temperature at idle is 34C (CPU) and 39C (MB).

Playing a video on VLC Media Player while doing other activities caused my CPU temp to go up to 35C. So I don't know... I don't think it's a temperature issue.

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June 20, 2014 10:32:43 AM

Well, I guess you could run memtest, but if there really comes buzzing sound from inside your pc, there is not lots of components with moving parts... I really cant see that hdd would be a problem.
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June 20, 2014 10:49:21 AM

Sorry, let me be more specific re: the buzzing - it's not actually from the physical computer, but rather, it comes out of the speaker.

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June 22, 2014 1:35:54 AM

That makes things more sensible! Sorry for the wait, haven't been on a pc for a while. So yeah, it might be your psu. Do you have any psu that you could borrow and test if same symptoms occur? Also, this: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/tech-support/264455-com... suggest that you would disable energy saving, but honestly, i have no idea if you have that.
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